In case you are wondering what’s going on at the Penang Botanic Gardens, the pictures above show the “Eco-Stream Walk” under construction.

The is one of four new “attractions” in the pipeline, the others being a bambusetum (a bamboo park), a garden mall and a water garden.

The “Eco-Stream Walk” will be 300 metres long, following the stream from the nursery in the Gardens to a parking area near Waterfall Road.

They are also building a ‘Tourist Pavilion’ opposite the Horticulture Centre – gallery, souvenir shops and information booths. (More concrete in the gardens?) Wouldn’t one information booth be enough?

In a future phase, a bamboo village will be added.

Why not, when you have RM7 million funding from the Tourism Ministryunder the Ninth Malaysia Plan? Let’s build some “attractions”. After all, we can’t stand seeing open green recreational spaces around. We must “develop” them.

He said he didn’t know what was so “eco” about it when they are clearing the vegetation from the banks of the stream, raising the level of the banks and putting in some kind of matting for the pedestrian walkway.

Maybe they think they can improve on Nature?

He pointed out that the original plan for the walkway was so much simpler.

However a blogger added :

And they evacuated the scouts out of the Coronation camp!

I also didn’t notice this project until I asked my sons, “Eh, you scouts never go camping anymore?”